Latching construction



AAug Zy 942. E KLAHN LATCHING CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 2l, 1938 l l l l 1 ,l 111/1 'nl' ,1r/11 5 v INVENTOR 4 EDWIN KLAHN ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 25, 1942 U iT ST :TES

LATCHING CONSTRUCTION Edwin `Klahn, New-York, N. Y., assigner to Adolf- C.' Blecliner, New York, N. Y.

Application Ncvember 21, 1938, -SeralNa 241,568I

(Cl. 'Y0-63) 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a latching mechanism.

Itis among'the objects' of the present invention to provide an improved latching arrangement and particularly an improved latching arrangement designed to be utilized-in connection'with various devices, as i`or example, for banks, for stands to receive and lock liquor or perfume bottles and so forth, which will bedurable and reliable and ofinexpensive constructionand yet vwill not be' subject to ready derangement or tampering by the'persons ro whom such bank may be given.

Other objects will be obvious or will appear during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the above objects, it'has'been found most suitable to provide a'stand with a double or removable bottom, said bottom having a double wall construction betweenwhichis-contained two reciprocal locking elements. These locking elements are desirably spring biased so as normally to project outwardly from the enclosure of the double bottom and engage openings in the lower edges of the side walls of the bank.

An opening is provided in the double wall construction permitting insertion of a relatively simple key construction by which the reciprocal members may be withdrawn from the openings in the side Walls of the banking casing permitting the bottom to be withdrawn.

The key is preferably of a construction having rounded sides which will operate the reciprocal elements and yet is not similar to readily available instruments by which the device could be unlatched by the possessor thereof.

Although the reciprocal latch element may take various forms, it has been found most satisfactory in one form of the invention to provide closely fitting offset bars having extensions or lugs adjacent the key opening which are designed to engage the key when the bars are to be withdrawn.

These bars may be formed of a relatively thin resilient sheet metal.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, will illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a iront elevational View of the bank construction.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 2--2 of Figure l upon enlarged scale as compared to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view 0f the 55 bottom and lower portion of the casing upon-th line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed fragmentarysectional view showing the Ycooperation "of the key'and latch construction.

Figure 5 is a detailed-side sectional viewfupon the lines `5 5 of Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are detailed-'side sectional-tiews upon the lines B--I and'IQ-"Iof` Fig-ure2` upon enlarged scale asA comparedI to -Figure `2 showing themanner ofinountingand guiding the bottom plate elements. Y Y

Figure 8-is a perspective View of'therk'ey lshown in locationin the dot and dash linesinfFigures 2 to 5.

Referring to the construction ofFlgures jl to 7, the'bank consists of a casinghavingaremovable double bottom or'base B, a reciprocatingglocking arrangement including the ltwofbars CA anda key elementD; y

` The casing A'isA provided Awith the coin slot I 0 and the side walls I I, the lower ends of the-slotted walls are provided with slots I2 (see Figures 2 and 3).

The base B is provided with an upper bottom I3 and a lower bottom I4 between which are positioned the reciprocating strips or bars C.

The upper and lower bottoms I3 and I4 are held together, as best shown in Figure '7, by the upturned flange I5 extending through the opening II in the upper bottom I3, which flange I5 has a down turned portion IG engaging the edges of said opening as indicated at I8.

The edges of the upper bottom element I3 are turned down as indicated at I9 and they are slotted, as indicated at 20, to coincide with the openings I2.

The base or lower bottom plate I4 has the down turned portions 2I which t inside of the lower edges 22 of the side walls I I.

The outturned ange 23 is designed to contact with the table or other support upon which the bank is placed and the upturned portions 24 are designed to contact at their upper ends 24a with the side walls II.

The locking bars C are made of thin sheet metal and are preferably resilient and they each have an inside end 26a, which is substantially oiiset from the outside ends 25. The oiset ends 25 are provided with inturned end portions 2t which project through the openings I2-20.

The portions 26a of the bars C are provided with the lugs 2'I which are positioned at each side of the openings 28 in the upper bottom plate I3 and 29 in the lower bottom plate I4.

The opening 28 in the upper plate I3 receives the rounded end portion 30 of the key D of Figure 8 while the lower opening receives the enlarged portion 3I having the rounded edges 32.

The upper portion 33 of the enlarged portion 3I is designed to contact the lower faces of the edges 34 of the opening 28, as best shown in Figure 5.

The offset portions 25 of the bars are provided with notches 35 to receive the ends 36 of the spring 31, said spring having turned portion 38, which is riveted at 39 to the bottom plate I4.

The bent ends 36 of the spring as shown in Figure 2, tend to press the ends 26 of the bars C outwardly into the recesses I 2--20,

As shown in Figure 6, the upper plate I3 also has stamped out and down turned portions 40, the lower ends 4I of which touch the bottom plate I4 and guide the side edges of the bars 25.

The offset ends of the bars are guided by the openings I2-20 so that the bars C will be held in predetermined position.

In operation the key D will be inserted in the opening 29, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, with its tip portion 3i) projecting into the smaller opening 28 in the upper plate I3.

When the key is inserted into the position shown in Figure 3, with the shoulders 33 abutting the edges 34 of the upper plate I3 adjacent the key hole, and turned to the position indicated in Figures 4 and 5 it will press the projecting portions 2I apart and Withdraw the end portions 26 from the openings I2 and 20. This motion will be stopped by the contact, as indicated at 45 in Figure 4.

It is apparent that the construction shown is quite simple, rugged and not readily susceptible to being tampered with or broken. It also is quite durable and will stand up for long periods of time Without derangement and at the same time, can be operated by the bank with the maximum of convenience.

It will be noted that a particularly Valuable feature of the present invention is that as soon as the key is removed, the bars C will snap back into projected position where they will either lock the bank in position on the base or project beyond the walls I I if the base is not in position.

It would also be possible to place the inturned portions 26 in the side walls I I.

Although a bank is shown as the preferred uti lization of the bottom latch construction, it is obvious that the construction, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, might be applied to perfume bottle or liquor bottle stands and to various other devices which are to be locked to prevent unauthorized usage of the contents thereof or intrusion into the interior thereof.

Furthermore, the double plate locking device. as shown, may also be utilized at the top or sides of an enclosure or stand as well as the bottom, as shown.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structures above described are subject to Wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

A lock comprising a double plate flat carrier, two flat bars in said carrier having aligned locking portions and offset parallel overlapping unlocking portions, said last mentioned portions having transversely projecting legs extending toward each other from the sides adjacent the aligned portions to engage a key on opposite sides of the key, the ends of the carrier having recesses for said aligned portions, said aligned portions being notched and a flat U-shaped spring engaging said notches to press said aligned portions apart.

EDWIN KLAHN. 

